Welcome! Step inside

Welcome! Step inside

This is a photograph that has been shot with a Yashica Electro 35 GTN with Ilford HP5 400 film, in Rethymno, Crete, Greece.

Rethymno in Crete is a place of traditions. There are just some things that never change. I think that in a way that is good, because it gives the place its own unique character. One of the traditions of the Cretans is making the famous Cretan Knives and they attach a great importance of them both as weapons and as tools. Knives were used for the hunt, for war, for killing and other things. There is plenty of information available about the Cretan Knives if you are interested in reading about them.

So, as it is natural you will find many places selling them in Rethymno, especially in the Old Town. In this photograph you can see one of the shops that sells knives, but it has a twist to it. This shop isn’t a knife shop primarily. It is a barber shop. People come here to get a close shave and to have their hair cut. As a secondary service, this barber shop sells knives of all shapes and sizes as well as worry beads. The shop is run by this charming old lady that looks at her clients with that warm welcoming look 🙂

I always try and photograph this place when I walk past it. It is what Crete is all about in a sense and I like that. But the place of course is nothing without its charming hostess. I remember when I shot this photograph she wasn’t happy with me at all, but she didn’t say anything to me. She gave me that lovely stare to remember that went on even after I smiled and said thank you for the photo. I think she must have thought I was a bit crackers taking her photo.

Snap!